Electromagnetically-controlled mercury-vapor lamp and the like.



J. JONAS.

ELECTROMAGNETICALLY CONTROLLED MERCURY VAPOR LAMP AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-25. 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEtI I.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

WITNESSES;

ATTORNEYS.

L J. JONAS. ELECTROMAGNETICALLY CONTROLLED MERCURY VAPOR LAMP AND THE LIKE.

. APPLICATION FlLED SEPT-25. 19M.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

I /nventor:

J. JONAS.

ELECTRDMAGNETICALLY CONTROLLED MERCURY VAPOR LAMP AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-25. 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3. 1

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

J. JONAS.

ELECTROMAGNETICALLY CONTROLL'ED MERCURY VAPOR LAMP AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2- I914.

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wm n 1M a TJ T T Mm R M M V W WITNESSES WKJM 1. JONAS. EL ECTROMAGNETICALLY CONTROLLED MERCURY VAPOR LAMP AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-25. I914.

' Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

5 SHEETS-$HEEI 5.

Wnesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS JONAS, OF BADEN, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TO AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT BROWN BOVERI & CIE, OF BADEN, SWITZERLAND.

ELECTBOMAGNETICALLY-CONTROLLED MERCURY-VAPOR LAMP AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 25, 1914. Serial No. 863,564.

' at Bruggerstrasse 22, Baden, Switzerland,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Electromagnetically-Controlled Mercury-Vapor Lamps and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the magnetic control or influencing of electric arcs in vacuum vessels and may be considered as an amplification of my application Serial No. 854,457, patented December 14, 1915, No. 1,164,603.

When the vacuum vessels are small the arcs can be readily influenced by magnets outside them. When large arcs are used and therefore large vessels, the influencing electromagnets have to be very powerfulbecause of the large gap involved.

The object of the present invention is to enable large arcs to be controlled without this disadvantage.

The invention in brief consists in restricting the area of the arc at a place close to the poles of the magnet. I

In the accompanying diagrammatic drawings; Figures 1 and 2 show a horizontal and longitudinal section respectively of a construction according to one form of the present invention, in which the controlling magnet is arranged inside the vacuum vessel; Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal and longitudinal sections respectively of a modification with external controlling magnet and internal guiding disk; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section showing as to its left half a modified arrangement with external magnets and guiding disk, and as to its right half a further mcdification in which the disk is replaced by tubes; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section corresponding to the left half of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section correspending to the right half of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section,'and Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of a modification with two rectifiers, the controlling magnets being arranged in parallel. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section, Fig. 11 a longitudinal section of a modification in which the two rectifiers have a common controlling magnetic circuit. Fig. 12 is a horizontal section, and Fig. 13 a longitudinal section of a modification similar to that shown in Figs. 8 and 9, ex-

cept that the controlling magnets are wound in series instead of in parallel.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the arc is constricted by means of a glass tube or the like 7:. at one point in such a manner that the poles 72,, 79, of an electro-magnet m situate wholly inside the vacuum vessel 9 are able to encompass it. By this means a relatively small magnet will suflice. for effectively influencing the electric arc. In Figs. 3 and 4 this limitation of the extent or this constriction of the electric arc Z is effected by means of an inset s (which may for instance be of diskshape) placed in the vessel 9, the slot for the passage of the electric are being provided at the side. By this means the electric arc is brought so near the wall of the vessel, that it can be effectively influenced by a magnet m having a relatively short distance between its poles, situated outside the vessel.

The concentration of the electric arc must naturally not be carried too far, because both the resistance and the temperature are increased thereby.

If desired the electric arc may be split up inside the vacuum vessel into a plurality of separate parallel portions which are constricted by means of insets, for instance disks, tubes or the like, introduced into the vacuum vessel, and all of which are influenced by a magnet common to all or by a plurality of separate magnets. The magnets (or the common magnet) may in this connection be situated wholly inside the vacuum vessel or outside the vacuum vessel. In the latter case it is advisable, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, to distribute the portions Z Z Z 1 of the electric are uniformly around the edge of the vessel by means of the inset disk 8 or the tubes h, h, h, as shown on theleft and right hand sides of the figure respectively, and to arrange the poles 7),, 7),, 79 p, of the common electro-magnet in such a manner that each pole will come between two adjacent electric arc portions. The current stream lines of the electric are are then forced by the influence of the magnet in alternate succession toward the inside and toward the outside.

For the purpose of producing the limitation of the extent and consequentlyefi'ecting an effective magnetic influencing of an electric arc of large current, the subdivision of the electric are into a plurality of parallel electric arcs may also be effected in such a i.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

manner that each parallel portion is generated in a separate vacuum vessel and is influenced by a separate electro-magnet as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In this case the electric arc is split up into two parallel portions Z, and Z which are generated in separate vacuum vessels g and 9 These vessels are encompassed by the poles 7),, 37 p and p of the magnets m, and m whose exciting coils w, and w, are like connected in parallel. In this arrangement, however, the drawback may easily arise that in switching the excitations on and off, the formation or the extinguishing of the electric arcs does not take place simultaneously, because the increase and the decrease in the strength of the field are functions of the time constant of the exciting windings.

In order to have an exact coincidence in the working of the parallel electric arcs, care must be taken to insure that in the parallel connection of the magnets the time constant of their windings shall have the same value. This difiicultv may however be overcome by employing in this case for the parallel electric arcs Z, and Z a common magnet m, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 whose poles 7),, p 72 p, are excited by a common winding w.

Another suitable arrangement is shown in Figs. 12 and 13, wherein the electric arcs Z, and Z are connected in parallel while the corresponding magnets m m,, that is their exciting windings 10,, w, are connected in series.

In those arrangements wherein the magnet is situated wholly inside the vacuum vessel, it is advisable to use the one electrode for both the electric arc circuit and the exciting circuit. In such a case only a special aperture for the excitation of the magnet is required.

One or both of the electrodes for the electric arc may consist of mercury as shown at g on the drawings. In the latter case it is possible for the current toflow in both directions when the electro-magnet is overexcited.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is 1. Vapor electric apparatus comprising in combination an evacuated metal container, two electrodes within said container, at least one of said electrodes being a mercury electrode, means for causing an arc to pass from one electrode to the other, an electromagnet for influencing the electric arc and a source of alternating current for exciting said electromagnet and means for restricting the are at a place close to the poles of the magnet, whereby a powerful action is obtained from a blow magnet of relatively small dimension.

2. Vapor electric apparatus comprising in combination an evacuated metal container, two electrodes within said container, at least one of said electrodes being a mercury electrode, means for causing an arc to pass from one electrode to the other, means for splitting the electric are into a plurality of separate parallel portions, means for restricting the several arc portions, a common electromagnet for influencing all of said are portions and a source of alternating current for exciting said electromagnet.

Vapor electric apparatus comprising in combination an evacuated container, two electrodes within said container, at least one of said electrodes being a mercury electrode, a source of direct current and a transformer with primary and secondary windings, an electrical connection from one electrode to the source of direct current, from that source to one of the windings of the transformer, and from that winding to the other electrode, a plurality of passageways inside the container forming arc paths between the electrodes and near the walls of the container, an electromagnet with poles disposed in such relation to the arc paths between the electrodes as to form a blowing magnet with respect to the arcs and a source of alternating current situated outside the container and connected to the windings of the electromagnet.

4. Vapor electric apparatus comprising in combination an evacuated container, two electrodes within said container, at least one of said electrodes being a mercury electrode, means for causing an arc to pass from one electrode to the other, a plurality of passageways inside the container for restricting the paths of the arc to the vicinity of the walls of the container, an electromagnet situated without said container and a source of alternating current for exciting said electromagnet, the poles of the electromagnet being so disposed in relation to the arc paths between the electrodes that the magnet acts as a blowing magnet for the arcs.

5. Vapor electric apparatus comprising in combination an evacuated container, two electrodes within said container, at least one of said electrodes being a mercury electrode, a plurality of passageways disposed within the container for confining the arc to the vicinity of the wall of the container, an electromagnet situated outside the container and disposed with its poles in such relation to the arc paths between the electrodes as to form a blowing magnet.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JULIUS JONAS. Witnesses:

CARL SURREY, BERTHA C. GRoL. 

